The piano knows something I don't know
by Neenkah
Summary: Danny wakes up to Tom having a nightmare. However, Tom won't get out of his dreamstate... Can the boys help him? Uploaded as well on AO3


**Danny's POV**  
I wake up to a small yelp. I open my eyes as I try to register what it was. The next thing I hear are ragged breaths coming from my left side. I sit up and put on my nightlight, as I turn around to look at Tom I see him sitting against the headboard with a straight back and closed eyes, he's still whimpering. I scoot over to him and envelop him in my arms, trying to calm him down. This isn't the first time he wakes up from a nightmare.

"Ssshh Tom" I whisper "It's all okay. I'm here. You're here. Dougie and Harry are upstairs. We're all safe. It's all going to be okay." Tom's whimpers change into calm steady breaths. "Very good Tom, you're doing very good."

Suddenly he turns his head to the other side of the room. His eyes full of fright. He crawls out of bed and scrambles to the corner of the room, pulls his knees to his chest and starts to hyperventilate. His eyes are full of fright and he keeps looking around the room whilst rocking back and forth.

Shit. Not good. Really not good.

I get out of bed as well and walk over to him, he doesn't react as I wave my hands in front of his face. It looks like he's in some sort of trance, completely closed off from the world. He needs to get out of it though, or he might black out due to his hyperventilating.

For goodness sake. I need help.

"HARRY? DOUGIE? COME HERE" I shout through the house, in an attempt to wake them up.

After a moment I hear stumbling in the room above us, meaning someone is awake. Another moment later I hear someone coming down the stairs, hearing the somewhat heavier footsteps I figure it is Harry.

 **Harry POV**  
"Danny what's the matter?" I ask as I burst into Tom's and Danny's room. Tom sits trembling in the corner with Danny in front of him, knees to his chin and staring into a far distance while letting out small whimpers and breathing very rigid.

"I think he had a nightmare and I tried to calm him down" Danny says "But then he got scared by something and he went in this sort of trance and it's freaking me out and I don't know what to do and and"

"Ssshhh, Danny, it's all going to be all right." Although I glance over at Tom and know it may take a lot of time and effort before things are alright.

"Harry? What's the matter with Tom? I-It's scaring me." A small tired voice comes from the door. Dougie had apparently woken up and missed me beside him in bed.

"Hey Doug" I say as softly as possible, not wanting to scare Dougie even more. "We don't really know, but it looks like Tom had a nightmare, but a really proper one and he has not really woken up yet and I think he's still scared."

"But I have nightmares too and when I wake up you always hug me and tell me how much you love me and that always helps, why doesn't that work with Tom!" Dougie almost desperately shouts whilst gesturing to Danny holding Tom.

"I don't know Doug, I really don't know" I say whilst hugging his shaking body.

"Guys please, can you please help me, please, I don't know it anymore." Danny says.

Tom has now started to tug on his hair, still staring in blank space.

"Tom stop it. Please. You're hurting yourself. Please don't do this." Danny is now crying.

Ow, why did we have to watch that stupid horror movie. I knew this would happen. I actually expected Dougie to have the nightterrors this time, but of course this triggered Tom.

He's now really tearing strands of hear out, creating small bald patches.

No. Not this again too. I don't know how much longer I can look at this.

Dougie whimpers something in my chest.

"Sorry, what?"

"The piano calms him down... most of the time... I think."

At first I'm confused but then I get it. If this works, oh man, Dougie is an angel.

"Danny? Can you carry Tom downstairs? Or I should carry him?" I ask a broken looking Danny.

Danny looks up at me with a confused look on his face. "D-downstairs? Wh-what are y-you go-"

"We think it will calm him down when he plays the piano. Well, we hope..."

"W-we'll give it a shot, I'm desperate."

I scoop up Tom by his legs and his back and carry him bridal-style down the stairs, he's still trembling like a leaf. I put him in front of the piano, subconsciously hoping he will just put his fingers on the keys and start playing away. But he doesn't. Of course he doesn't.

I shot an apologetically look to Danny, but he won't take it. He takes a seat besides Tom, talking in on him but Tom still doesn't react.

Dougie abruptly takes a step forward and grabs Tom's hands to put them on the keys.

Still no reaction.

But Dougie doesn't give in. He wrenches himself between Tom and the piano so he can sit on Tom's lap. He lays his hands on top of Tom's and starts playing small bits Tom taught him once. This goes on for a few minutes, luckely it calmes Danny. And me. Dougie is brilliant.

Suddenly Dougie lets out a small yell, he pulls his hands away.

But we still hear the piano playing.

 **Tom POV**  
The monsters won't stop clawing at my brain. The sounds from the outside world are numbed out. It's like I'm behind a glass wall or something, I'm aware of my surroundings but I perceive everything blurry and delayed and I feel like I can't react.

It's scaring me.

I need to feel something. Anything, otherwise I'll be slipping away and I'm scared I won't come back. And I don't want that, because Danny won't be with me then, and I'll miss Dougie, and Harry.

It feels like the void is sucking me in, towards the monsters. I'm losing my grip on staying where I am. I DON'T WANT THIS. LET ME GO. I try to scream at the monsters but they don't listen, or they don't hear me. I WANT TO BE WITH DANNY. I shout, but it's no use. They're now tugging at my arms. I guess I'll have to just give in then...

But I hear something, it's a very faint sound but I recognize it. I climb away from the monsters, out of the darkness, to the light. The glass wall disappears and I recognize a piano, and I realize I can finally feel again as I notice Dougie guiding me over the keys. He's doing a really good job. Did I teach him that? It doesn't matter, it's nice. I slowly start to play along by myself, Dougie notices and pulls his hands away. I continue, I never want to lose this feeling ever again. The notes flowing through my veins and filling my brain, pushing away the monsters.


End file.
